August 22, 2013 - The U.S. Department of
Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation
Statistics (BTS) reported today that U.S.
airlines carried 64.8 million systemwide
(domestic + international) scheduled service
passengers in May 2013, 1.7 percent more than in
May 2012.

The systemwide increase was the result of a 1.4
percent increase in the number of domestic
passengers (56.5 million) and a 3.7 percent
increase in international passengers (8.2
million).

BTS, a part of the Department’s Research and
Innovative Technology Administration, reported
that U.S. airlines carried 0.5 percent more
total system (domestic + international)
passengers during the first five months of 2013
(298.7 million) than during the same period in
2012.

Domestically, U.S. airlines carried 259.9
million passengers, 0.3 percent more than 2012.
Internationally, they carried 38.8 million
passengers, up 1.9 percent from 2012.

The May 2013 system load factor of 84.2 percent,
the domestic load factor of 84.8 percent and the
international load factor of 83.0 percent were
all record highs for the month of May as
year-over-year growth in revenue passenger-miles
exceeded both domestic and international
capacity expansion. Load factor is a measure of
the use of aircraft capacity that compares
Revenue Passenger-Miles (RPMs) as a proportion
of Available Seat-Miles (ASMs).

In May, Delta Air Lines carried more system
passengers than any other U.S. airline.Southwest Airlines carried the most
domestic passengers. United Airlines carried the
most international passengers. The top 10 U.S.
airlines in terms of number of passengers
carried 80.4 percent of systemwide passengers,
up from 79.9 percent carried by the U.S.
airlines that were in the top 10 in May 2012.

During the first five months of 2013, Delta
carried more system passengers than any other
U.S. airline and Southwest carried the most
domestic passengers.United carried the most international
passengers.

The top 10 U.S. airlines
carried 80.6 percent of systemwide passengers,
up from 79.8 percent carried by the U.S.
airlines that were in the top 10 during the
first five months of 2012.

In
May, more total system and domestic passengers
boarded planes at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson
International than at any other U.S. airport and
more international passenger’s boarded U.S.
carriers at Miami than at any other U.S.
airport.